Radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery in the treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus.

: The role of radiation in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus was examined in a review of 74 patients treated with curative intent between 1974 and 1981. Aspects studied included the pattern of failure, the use of radiation as a surgical adjuvant, achievement of palliation, and the presence of technical or clinical factors predicting for a better outcome. The group was divided into 9 patients irradiated after esophageal resection, 14 patients irradiated before resection, and 51 patients treated with radiation and no resection. Median and 2-year survival rates among 51 patients treated by radiation without esophagectomy were 8.8 months and 11%, whereas they were 9.7 months and 0% in patients treated by radiation followed by resection, and 9.5 months and 28% in patients undergoing resection followed by radiation. Local failures were suffered in 28/51 patients treated without esophagectomy with rates of 2/4, 7/10, 7/15, and 5/10 after 50-55 Gy, 55-60 Gy, 60-65 Gy, and 65-69 Gy, respectively. Although prognosis for patients presenting with unresectable disease remains poor, a somewhat better outcome may be expected in patients treated with postoperative radiation after potentially unfavorable resections. Other predictors include sex and disease stage.